Whats your favorite party??

[Whisper rider]

What would you prefer, as your adventuring party for X campaign?
Rules:
PH I & II+ DMG +Complete warrior, mage, arcane, adventurer, Scoundrel.
draconomicon, unerthed arcana, expanded psionics handbook, fiendish codex I & II, races of stone, destiny,Heroes of horros and libris mortis.
-6 member party
-3 classes TOP.

[Zubrowka74]

Whats your favorite party??

Oyster parties.

[Yorrin]

So many wonderful ways to go about this. Pity you left out some of my favorites PrCs due to source restrictions, and the 3 classes per character (assuming PrCs count against that limit) also messes with a few of my go-to builds. But I think something like:

Cloistered Cleric 8/Crusader 2/RKV 10
Scout 4/Ranger 16
Feat Rogue 20
Illusionist Wizard 5/Master Specialist 10/Shadowcraft Mage 5
Barbarian 2/Dungeoncrasher Fighter 8/Hellreaver 10
Psion 20

Is a fairly well rounded, simple, and even parsimonious party.

[Roguenewb]

Druid 20 (why mess with a good thing?)
Battler Sorcerer 6/Swiftblade 10/Abjurant Champion 4
Cloistered cleric 1/Wizard 4/Dweomerkeeper 10/ Mage of the Arcane Order 5
Spellthief 1/Wizard 4/Daggerspell mage 10/Arcane trickster 5

Why yes, my parties doooo enjoy casting spells! Don't you?

[Kaeso]

Favourite Tier 1 Party (The party that can take down gods, turn Hell into a fluffy rainbow unicorn paradise and still be home in time for dinner)
Beatstick: Druid 20
Skillmonkey: Cloistered Cleric 20 with Trickery domain, preferebly cleric archer
Healer: Cleric/Church Inquisitor/Ordained Champion/Contemplative
Mage: Wizard with a few cheesy prestige classes


Favourite Tier 3 Party (Can we do it? Yes we can!)
Beatstick: Warblade
Skillmonkey/Healer: Bard 10/Sublime Chord 10
Mage: Beguiler 19/Mind Bender 1
Free space: Duskblade

Favourite Tier 4/5 Party (Let's try to make the best of it! Our courage will compensate for our weakness)
Beatstick: Knight or Barbarian
Skill monkey: Rogue (obviously)
Mage: Warlock
Healer: Paladin or Ranger

[Amphetryon]

Dread Necromancer
Warlock
Psychic Warrior
Wilder
Mearls'-fix Hexblade
Binder/Crusader/KoSS

[Malimar]

Any party where every character is the same tier (ideally tier 3), the same level of optimization, and focuses on different roles (some overlap is okay).

[Rapidghoul]

1. Dragon Shaman / Marshal / Bard Lyric + Thaumaturge / Seeker of the Song / Sublime Chord
2. Factotum / Beguiler / Spellthief + Unseen Seer / Swiftblade
3. Duskblade / Paladin / Hexblade
4. Swift Hunter Scout + Ranger (Trap Expert + Spell-less Ranger ACF's) / Fighter (Dungeoncrasher ACF) + Barbarian (Lion Spiritual Totem + Streetfighter + Whirling Frenzy ACF's)
5. Warlock / Dragonfire Adept / Dread Necromancer / Warmage / Wu Jen
6. Favored Soul (Deity's Favor ACF) / Cloistered Cleric (no DMM / ACF that replaces Turn Undead) / Spirit Shaman / Druid (Aspect of Nature + Druidic Avenger + Whirling Frenzy ACF's / Shapeshifter ACF)

[Harry]

Wizard 20 fighter 20 cleric 20 rogue 20 classic party is funniest party:smallsmile:

[Yuukale]

I don't think the fighter neither the rogue will find this interesting past, say... level 5...

[Kaeso]

I don't think the fighter neither the rogue will find this interesting past, say... level 5...

He said "funniest" not "most fun". Dragging around two useless characters and beating them at their specialisation with ease is kind of funny.

[lorddrake]

Two jumplomancers, one antropomorphic dinossaur, on antropomorphic mushroom (is this even possible?) and two female characters with maxxed Cha score but useless.

Mario Party!

[Hiro Protagonest]

No Tome of Battle? Bah, I'm using ToB and Magic of Incarnum no matter what!

And Dungeonscape.

And Complete Champion.

And Cityscape (seriously, the relevant part is in a wizards online article, you don't have to buy the book).

Warblade 1/Spirit Lion Whirling Frenzy barbarian 1/warblade +18
Factotum 20
Totemist 20
Beguiler 20
Bard 20
Cleric 20

[gallagher]

everybody is a druid with an animal companion big enough to ride. they are all the same type. start a social party where only people riding that type are invited.

bonus points if it is an aquatic campaign and you ride sharks

[Particle_Man]

I always wanted to try the PHB II party (Knight, Duskblade, Dragon Shaman, Beguiler) but so far my friends won't go for it.

I also like the "everyone is X" parties (and guess what, my friends won't go for that either!). So an "all monks" or "all warlocks" or "all soul knives" kind of party would be cool. Tier divergence doesn't occur if everyone is the same class.

Also, my friends tend to play chaotic types, so for a change seeing them do a heavy lawful theme would be nice (Ruby Knight Vindicator and Sapphire Hierarch, table for two!). Sadly, I don't know if Knight and Monk could fit in the same tier as the first two.

The other idea is a "template" party - again - if everyone does it no one falls behind! So all half-dragon, frex, or all half-celestial.

I guess I could mix and match (All half-dragon monks! All half-celestial warlocks!).

Ok, I can't get the half-dragon monks out of my head so that is the winner of my post. :smallcool: Their base race will be githzerai - and all metallic dragons for the shinyness.

[Particle_Man]

bonus points if it is an aquatic campaign and you ride sharks

Sharks that shoot frickin "lasers"? :smallcool:

Pity that Dungeonscape is not allowed for Acid-born sharks!

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

A 6-person party, 3 classes (per character) top? You've just excluded any possibility of a viable arcane Gish, and any party of >4 should have a Red Mage. I'll just have to include plenty of divine melee.


Batman: Illumian (Krau), Beguiler 1/ Wizard 4/ Ultimate Magus 10/ Wizard 5, Able Learner and Versatile Spellcaster.

Skillmonkey: Beguiler 5/ Mindbender 1/ Beguiler 14

Melee: Druid 20

Divine: Human Cleric of Zarus 6/ Divine Oracle 4/ Contemplative 10

Artillery: Psion 20, Share Pain: Psicrystal every day and Vigor shared with it.

Second Melee: Druid 20

[Amphetryon]

A 6-person party, 3 classes (per character) top? You've just excluded any possibility of a viable arcane Gish, and any party of >4 should have a Red Mage. I'll just have to include plenty of divine melee.

Specialist Wizard 5/Anima Mage 10/Abjurant Champion 5 might fit the bill, if the sources were allowed.

[Yuukale]

I'd love to see an "all-elves party"

The Elven High Mage: Conjurer5/Master Specialist 1/Incantatrix10/Olin Gisir1/Archmage3

The Elven Priest: Cloistered Cleric/Seeker of the Misty Isle - preferably archer

The Woodsman: Swift Hunter

The Blade: Duskblade/Abjurant Champion

[GoatBoy]

The Minion Master:
- Wizard/Malconvoker
- Tactics: summon a good amount of fairly powerful minions

The Buff Guy
- Bard/Sublime Chord
- Tactics: Use Dragonfire Inspiration at lower levels, focus on powerful party buffs as higher level slots become available

The Guy Who Can Do Everything
- Factotum/Chameleon
- Tactics: Focus on defence but have enough options that you're not a gimp when things don't go as planned

The Guy Who Can Make Everything
- Artificer
- Tactics: Keep some restoration/misc healing items handy, otherwise blow stuff up real good with wands

[GoatBoy]

The Communist Party:

Vow of Poverty wizard
Vow of Poverty cleric
Vow of Poverty monk
Artificer

[Yuukale]

the communist party... I see what you did there...

but... how does the artificer fits in this theme?

[GoatBoy]

the communist party... I see what you did there...

but... how does the artificer fits in this theme?

He's supposed to be in charge of distributing the wealth but just spends it on damage spells.

[Fyermind]

I am yet to play in a good campaign that actually went past level 14 and have seen many more start ups than well thought out wrap ups so my party is of level 1 characters.
There were book requirements, I forgot them and will ignore them.

DPS/Debuff
Strongheart Halfling swordsage 1 feats shadow blade damage thingy, two weapon fighting (will use a net for now despite non proficiency because it is a touch attack off a thrown weapon and those things are awesome)

Buffs/secondary healer/archer
silverbrow human bard 1 feats: dragonfire insipration, lingering song (will fight with a shortbow and longspear, not at the same time)

DPS(/tank?)
Dragonborn water orc Whirling frenzy lion spirit totem Barbarian 1 feat: Power attack (Power attack will one day pay off)

Medic(/tank?) will be AoE from level 4+
Dragonborn Water Orc Dragon shaman 1 feat: Clinging breath (auras: vigor, toughness, senses; wades into combat with shield and morningstar, gets right in front of somebody,blasts them with a clinging 20 breath weapon, figures they will die eventually and everyone else ignores them for the rest of combat)

Debuff/AoE
Dragonborn Warforged Dragonfire Adept 1 feat: entangling exhalation

Scout/detrapper/basic arcane magics
whisper gnome Beguiler 1 feat: I don't know something magicky

If you notice a distinct lack of magic there is a reason. I don't like it. It tends to be underpowered at low levels, run out early at mid levels, and then overpower everything else around level 10. The beguiler is there, but I am not happy about it.

BUT WAIT I have another level 1 party I really like and everyone is a warforged

Dragonfire adept; entangling exhalation, adamantine body, thick skinned; murky eyed, noncombatant

Psion (shaper); Psiforged, adamantine body, skill focus (poison making), obtain psicrystal; inattentive, noncombatant; max ranks in alchemy and poison making, knows minor creation, psionic

2*Crusader; adamantine body, thick skinned, blindfighting; shaky, inattentive

2*Fighter; grenadier, adamantine body, blindfighting; non-combatant, feeble

The fun thing about the above party is how will they can work together. The psion supplies them will inhaled poisons, alchemical items, contact poisons, etc. and as constructs they are all immune. The DFA has endure elements which makes them all immune to his entangling breath. The fighters and psion provide close range support while the crusaders wade in with poisoned fists (or longswords or picks or whatever you like). Everyone has immunity to the inhaled poisons, DR, high AC for level 1 characters, and the only ones affected by limited visibility have blindfighting. This team kicks some serious tail in level 1 soldier elite squads, and the crusaders and fighters can easily be replaced by lots of warriors.

[Averis Vol]

Cleric 20 x6

all the exact same build, exact same height/weight/age/etc. who stand on the railing of a large war galley and stare ominously out across the sea as the wind blows in their hair and they shout catchy one liners at enemy ships as they blow them up with simultaneous flame strikes.

oh yea, we did it once. dm...was.....PISSED.

[Fluffy_1.0]

All bard party! Extra points if you're a boy band or an all girl J-pop group and everyone has dragon fire inspiration.

[danzibr]

No Tome of Battle? Bah, I'm using ToB and Magic of Incarnum no matter what!

And Dungeonscape.

And Complete Champion.

And Cityscape (seriously, the relevant part is in a wizards online article, you don't have to buy the book).

Warblade 1/Spirit Lion Whirling Frenzy barbarian 1/warblade +18
Factotum 20
Totemist 20
Beguiler 20
Bard 20
Cleric 20
Funny, ours are... a little similar.

Warblade 20
Totemist 20
Bard 20
Cloistered Cleric 20
Druid 20
Some arcane caster 20

Or, alternatively,
Bard 20
Bard 20
Bard 20
Bard 20
Bard 20
Bard 20

EDIT: Fluffy 1.0 beat me to it.

[eggs]

Rogue, Scout, Barbarian, Knight, Dragon Shaman, Truenamer sounds like fun, provided the Incantation rules are in effect. Without ToM, replace Truenamer with Bardic Sage.

[Malachei]

Family-sized, four seasons pizza, no cheese:


Primary arcane: Wizard (Conjurer) 3 / Binder 1 / Anima Mage 10 / Incantatrix 3 / Archmage 3
Front-line melee: Elven Warblade 7 / Swashbuckler 3 / Eternal Blade 10
Skillmonkey: Beguiler 20 or Rogue 1 (Able Learner) / Swordsage 19
Healer: Crusader 1 / Cleric 4 / Ruby Knight Vindicator 10 / full-casting PrC 5

[Kaeso]

The Communist Party:

Vow of Poverty wizard
Vow of Poverty cleric
Vow of Poverty monk
Artificer

Clever, very clever indeed.

[Hanuman]

http://www.threadless.com/imgs/products/383/636x460design_01.jpg

I actually extremely dislike dnd after it hits level 15, frankly the system isn't meant for it, nor do I especially like the flavor of DBZ instead of DB.

That being said, the best parties are ones that use imagination to solve combat. I don't like "i hit it with my thing, then hit it with my other thing, then my other thing, until it's dead", if I wanted that then I'd be playing a videogame. DnD is really good for thinking outside the box, so I really appreciate parties that focus on that.

If it's a spell either make it have a highly contextual effect, or have it be a highly customizable spell. Summons, illusions, ect are always wonderful to have.

If it's a combat, try and solicit from your DM an advanced called shot mechanic, that way instead of trying to be a beatstick you can sacrifice some of your attack roll to get a well placed hit on the leg. A good hit to the side of the knee will drop any human, it won't take them to zero, and it won't KO them, but it will disable them and that's really what a beatstick should be able to do.

If it's a skillful character you should be spending the entire fight trying to figure out the cheats for the combat setup, if there's a trick to it you should be taking up a support damage role and trying to figure it out and once you do, disengage and execute a brilliant plan using your high skill ranks.


Honestly, good parties are enabled by good dm's and good players, not levels, classes and build.

[Roguenewb]

Druid 20 (why mess with a good thing?)
Battler Sorcerer 6/Swiftblade 10/Abjurant Champion 4
Cloistered cleric 1/Wizard 4/Dweomerkeeper 10/ Mage of the Arcane Order 5
Spellthief 1/Wizard 4/Daggerspell mage 10/Arcane trickster 5

Why yes, my parties doooo enjoy casting spells! Don't you?

[Malachei]

Yesterday:

Druid 20 (why mess with a good thing?)
Battler Sorcerer 6/Swiftblade 10/Abjurant Champion 4
Cloistered cleric 1/Wizard 4/Dweomerkeeper 10/ Mage of the Arcane Order 5
Spellthief 1/Wizard 4/Daggerspell mage 10/Arcane trickster 5

Why yes, my parties doooo enjoy casting spells! Don't you?

Today:

Druid 20 (why mess with a good thing?)
Battler Sorcerer 6/Swiftblade 10/Abjurant Champion 4
Cloistered cleric 1/Wizard 4/Dweomerkeeper 10/ Mage of the Arcane Order 5
Spellthief 1/Wizard 4/Daggerspell mage 10/Arcane trickster 5

Why yes, my parties doooo enjoy casting spells! Don't you?

Well, that's two pretty similar... ...oh no, it is one person, actually... Did you forget you've already had posted here? :)

[Kaeso]

http://www.threadless.com/imgs/products/383/636x460design_01.jpg

I actually extremely dislike dnd after it hits level 15, frankly the system isn't meant for it, nor do I especially like the flavor of DBZ instead of DB.

That being said, the best parties are ones that use imagination to solve combat. I don't like "i hit it with my thing, then hit it with my other thing, then my other thing, until it's dead", if I wanted that then I'd be playing a videogame. DnD is really good for thinking outside the box, so I really appreciate parties that focus on that.

If it's a spell either make it have a highly contextual effect, or have it be a highly customizable spell. Summons, illusions, ect are always wonderful to have.

If it's a combat, try and solicit from your DM an advanced called shot mechanic, that way instead of trying to be a beatstick you can sacrifice some of your attack roll to get a well placed hit on the leg. A good hit to the side of the knee will drop any human, it won't take them to zero, and it won't KO them, but it will disable them and that's really what a beatstick should be able to do.

If it's a skillful character you should be spending the entire fight trying to figure out the cheats for the combat setup, if there's a trick to it you should be taking up a support damage role and trying to figure it out and once you do, disengage and execute a brilliant plan using your high skill ranks.


Honestly, good parties are enabled by good dm's and good players, not levels, classes and build.

It seems like you're contradicting yourself. You want DnD to be more than just "I hit that thing with my pointy stick" but claim that characters and builds have nothing to do with it. Yet, a cleric can hit something with a pointy stick AND take something down in a number of magical ways that are creative, lethal or non-lethal. A fighter can only hit it. Yes, you can take feats to trip opponents, smash their kneecaps etc. but that still limits them quite a lot. Your example about the breakable knees, for example, assumes that your opponent not only has knees, but knees that a puny human can reach and that are small enough to break. With most non-humanoid opponents you don't have that luxury. So while I agree about your point concerning creative play, I must disagree about this being possible with all characters. The only non-magical casters that come close to being able to do that are the ToB classes, and even they are limited to "I hit things with my pointy stick, but this time flames come out of my pointy stick".

[MukkTB]

Most fun to be in a party of the same tier. Classes fit the campaign and the goals of the characters. I would much rather hear the DM spiel before trying to build characters. Don't want to roll a grubby Barbarian and then find we're playing a game of noble intrigue with very little combat. Don't want to be a plate wearing dwarf on a pirate ship. Don't want to be a wizard when the DM has house ruled magic to near impotence. Don't want to use a build that comes online at lvl 10 when we're playing E6. Don't want to be a cleric of Pelor when the parties goal is to conquer a town and build a death fortress overlooking it.

As for filling all the party roles? If 6 people between them are unwilling to coordinate enough to fill the roles healing / sneaky / traps / knowledge / face / damage they must be actively fighting any attempt at coordination.

[Particle_Man]

One of the funniest parties I ran was for a king arthur d20 game. Most of the players were Knights and we had one yeoman that could do other stuff (like anything with skills). It was hilarious. Later we added a hedge mage and a druid (and if you thought druids were powerful before wait until you see one on a spell point system - hoo boy!).

[kulosle]

So the best party I've ever had was this

Focused specialist Transmuter
Focused specialist Conjurer
Bard buff specialist
Druid with uber-mount
Artificer 20
Archivist specializing in dark knowledge

Do you see all the buffing going on? It was a stomp fest. Both the bard and the transmuter had war weaver levels. Some one had 3 levels of intratrix but I don't remember who. And will all the summons the conjurer was throwing out it was epic. Snake swiftness mass became a beast. And we all rode the uber-mount, a gargantuan dragon, everywhere. It was a blast.